This invention relates to safety systems, and more particularly to a safety system applicable to a forklift truck to prevent the forklift truck from inadvertently causing injury of personnel on loading docks, warehouses, and other locations where forklift trucks are operated near people.
This invention is an improvement to U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,735 titled “Radio controlled safety stop system for forklift trucks” issued 18 Jul. 1989 and assigned to the present inventor. A search of the prior art related to U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,735 was made, has revealed the existence of U.S. Pat. Nos. as follows: 4,079,802; 2,804,160; 3,683,379; 3,898,652; 4,528,563; 3,892,483; 3,976,151; 4,278,962; 4,136,329; and 3,882,957.
Referring to each of the patents in the order in which they were issued, U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,160 discloses a concept of controlling a trailing vehicle so that it does not rear-end a vehicle in front of it. It accomplishes this purpose by transmitting a radio signal that is reflected from the leading vehicle and is received by the trailing vehicle. The received signal initiates actuation of the brakes or the ignition system of the trailing vehicle so as to prevent a collision.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,379 discloses an invention similar to U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,160, but it does so in a different way and with a different circuitry. In this patent, one of the head lamps of the vehicle is used as both the transmitter (filament) and the receiver (reflector) of the reflected wave of radio frequency energy that is reflected from the leading car. The signal so received is then used to actuate an alarm to warn the driver, or to actuate a brake operating solenoid to effect deceleration of the vehicle as required.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,957 discloses the concept of a “tilt” switch for use with automobiles so that the ignition and fuel supply are shut off it the vehicle tilts beyond a certain degree. Obviously, this patent has no significant relevance with regard to preventing a forklift truck from running into a closed door.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,483 discloses the concept of transmitting a signal both forwardly and backwardly so as to alert motorists in front and behind the vehicle transmitting the signal of their proximity in relation to the vehicle transmitting the signal. Remedial action is initiated by the vehicle, in front or in back, which receives the signal. One of the difficulties encountered with this disclosure is that it presumes that all vehicles in a line of vehicles are similarly equipped, and that there will be interaction between the signals transmitted by the vehicles, i.e., the forwardly transmitted signal of a trailing vehicle will interact with the rearwardly transmitted signal of a leading vehicle. Obviously, such a state of affairs could not be mandated unless required by law.
This application also discloses the concept of a radio signal transmitted rearwardly, the signal varying in intensity (reduced) at increasing distances from the rear of the vehicle. Conceptually, when a trailing vehicle, having an appropriate receiver, enters the radiation area or zone created by the transmitter on the leading vehicle, the receiver on the trailing vehicle initiates a controlling function, i.e., actuates a buzzer, a light or actuates application of the brakes, or interruption of the ignition system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,652 discloses an even more elaborate system than the one immediately preceding in that it discloses the use of side sensors in addition to the use of front and rear sensors. The sensors sense the location of surrounding vehicles, and channel this information into a signal processing unit. The velocity of the vehicle is also sensed, and fed into the processor, which then calculates whether the vehicle can stop in time to avoid running into any other vehicles. The output of the processor may be applied to the vehicle brake and accelerator controls for slowing down a vehicle if the operator does not respond promptly to a warning signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,151 discloses a system for enabling a golf cart to follow you around the golf course. A small transmitter carried by the golfer transmits a radio frequency signal that is coupled magnetically with a directional antenna on the cart. The cart also carries guidance devices to control the power applied to the wheels so as to make the cart follow the golfer in response to the direction from which the signal emanates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,802 discloses circuitry for controlling the distance between two vehicles traveling at varying velocities. It accomplishes this purpose by sensing the velocity of the trailing vehicle, sensing the velocity of the leading vehicle, determining the difference in their velocities, and then uses this differential to determine what type of control to apply to the trailing vehicle to maintain a predetermined minimum space between the vehicles. It is interesting to note that the circuitry will not only decelerate the trailing vehicle when necessary, but will also accelerate it to maintain the predetermined spacing between the vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,329 discloses a control of the engine of a large truck, such as a large diesel engine. The device monitors certain parameters that must fall within a predetermined range. If the parameters fall outside that range, the control device first warns of the danger, then initiates action to shut down the engine if the driver does not respond. The driver is provided with means for overriding the system when necessary of advisable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,962, discloses an automatic alarm system for detecting obstacles, such as walls or doors, behind a vehicle that is proceeding in reverse. Structurally, a transmitter and a receiver are mounted on a rotating disk contained within a housing mounted on the vehicle. An aperture in the housing permits transmission of a supersonic signal which is reflected from any obstructions and re-enters the hole, or aperture, to be picked up by the receiver. The received signal initiates an alarm, warning the driver that he is approaching an obstacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,563 discloses a concept that utilizes sound and the frequency of an intermittent sound to alert a driver that he is approaching an obstruction. The sound emanates from different areas, left front, left rear, right front, or right rear, to alert the driver of the direction of the obstruction. This device is said to be particularly adapted to warn the driver when he is backing his vehicle, such as when backing into a garage where his visibility is limited.
We have found that many manufacturing plants and warehouses utilize vast square footage areas to perform their various functions, and that delivery of supplies and the shipping of materials from these plants is frequently by truck or railroad car. To facilitate receiving and shipping goods from these plants, it is the practice to provide shipping and receiving ramps that are elevated above grade level so as to approximate the height of the bed of a truck backed up to the ramp. Alternatively, where railroad cars are used to receive and ship goods at these plants, the ramp is usually spaced from the open door of the railroad car by approximately 3 or 4 feet, and a heavy steel plate or apron is extended between the building ramp and the railroad car to fill the gap and permit the transfer or reception of goods between the railroad car and the plant. In most of these instances, reception of goods and supplies by the plant, or shipment of manufactured goods from the plant or warehouse, is done through large openings in various walls of the plant building that provide an unobstructed opening through which forklift trucks may move. Thus, forklift trucks, under the control of an operator, move back and forth through the opening between the bed of a flat bed truck backed up to the loading ramp, or into the boxcar from which goods are being off-loaded, or into which goods are being loaded for shipment.
It is the custom in industry to utilize large roll-up doors for closing and opening the doorways through which products move. These roll-up doors are frequently articulated steel doors, rolled up by an appropriate motor energized by a worker when the need arises to open or close the door. One of the problems that has plagued industry is that forklift truck operators, for whatever reason, frequently run into these doors with their forklift trucks when the doors are in a closed position. Accordingly, one of the important objects of this invention is the provision of a system that will prevent a forklift operator from driving his forklift truck into a closed door.
The incidence of damage to plant and warehouse doors by the ramming of such doors with a forklift truck has become almost endemic. Several overhead door companies maintain several crews busy repairing such damage. At today's labor and material costs, the repair of such doors can frequently amount to several times the cost of a device such as the one forming the subject matter of this invention for preventing the damage. But the damage to the door cannot be measured only in terms of time and material to effect the repair. Additionally, the doorway in which a damaged door is mounted is out of service for whatever length of time it requires a door repair company to effect the repairs. Sometimes this can be many days, even weeks, while vital parts that are not readily available locally are ordered from the factory and received and installed. Sometimes, the factory sends the wrong part, even though it was properly ordered, thus prolonging the time that the doorway is out of order and unusable by the plant or warehouse. In a case where the door that has been damaged happens to be the only door into or out of the premise for goods being received or shipped, it sometimes becomes necessary to disassemble the entire door assembly and leave it disassembled until either a new door or a repaired door can be installed, with the interval being covered from a security standpoint by the hiring of special security personnel. Again, the cost inherent in the repair of the door far outweighs the cost of a safety device to prevent the damage in the first place.
Besides the risk to the physical premises, other serious concerns include safety of personnel in the area where the forklift trucks are operated as well as concern about authorized access to the area and goods in these areas both from a theft as well as tampering concerns. It is not uncommon for these systems to employ several independent forklift trucks each loading/unloading one or more transportation vehicles. The operators of these forklift trucks are trying to be efficient and drive with significant speed. Other personnel may share this area, and are often on foot while they move in this area as well, checking status of the various operational parameters in the business. The environment is usually loud and visibility may be impaired. This is especially true as a forklift operator as a forklift truck operator must enter into the actual truck or railroad car, sometimes with a full load. As people may be in the area as well, there is a very real risk of injury.
Additionally, these large areas may store significant quantities of goods for distribution to the public. Besides the risk of theft of these goods, maintaining security of the various areas is important to reduce risk of tampering with the goods. The Department of Homeland Security has increased requirements for area security for areas that warehouse volumes of such disposable goods (particularly food and chemicals).
Accordingly, another important object of the invention is the provision of a radio controlled safety stop system for forklift trucks that will alert the driver that he is approaching a danger zone when the forklift truck is a predetermined distance from the door or other controlled area that includes a person, and which automatically interrupts the ignition system of the forklift truck to thereby stop the forklift truck when the forklift truck operator ignores the warning system and continues moving in the direction of danger.
While emphasis has been placed above on the need for a safety device for forklift trucks to prevent the forklift truck from ramming and thereby damaging a closed roll-up overhead door, it is of equal importance that a forklift truck be precluded from driving through an open door under conditions which are unsafe, such as when a truck or a railroad car is not parked adjacent to the platform, thus causing the forklift truck, with its load and operator to drive off the loading platform, with attendant damage to the forklift truck, its cargo and injury to the driver. Accordingly, a still further object of the present invention is the provision of a radio control safety stop system for forklift trucks that will operate to stop a forklift truck from passing through even an open doorway when unsafe conditions prevail.
Forklift trucks that are used in the industrial arena are frequently very heavy vehicles. Some of these forklift trucks weigh as much as 4 and 5 thousand pounds. It is believed that forklift trucks designed for use within a building such as a warehouse or manufacturing plant are geared to travel at perhaps no more than 5 miles per hour. Obviously, there are some exceptions. However, even at 5 miles per hour, a heavily loaded forklift truck can impose a terribly destructive force if it impacts an obstacle, such as a closed door. Since it appears to be impractical to initially stop the forklift truck when it comes within a predetermined distance of the doorway, it is one of the objects of this invention to initially sound an alarm so that the operator of the forklift truck may himself take remedial action to stop the forklift truck.
It is another object of the invention to only secondarily take control of the forklift truck out of the hands of the human operator and to interrupt the ignition system of the forklift truck when the forklift truck is within a predetermined proximity to the door.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.